Fire-escape.



c., B. MGKINNBY. FIRE ESCAPE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1909.

Patented 861113.20, 1910.

MQ.. i W.

'E/g W CHARLES B. MCKINNEY, OF BOURBON, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 22, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910. Serial No. 529,232.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. MCKIN- NEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bourbon, in the county of Marshall and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and improvedconstruction of fire escape by means of which a person may lower himselffrom a window and having means to control the speed of the descent.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination and arrangements ofparts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of aportion of the side of a building and a window showing the applicationof t-he invention; Fig. 2 is a side View of the device; Fig. 3 is abottom plan View of the holding bar of the swing or carriage showing thearrangement of the brake or controlling lever.

In the embodiment of the invention, I provide a holding bar l whichforms part of the carriage of the fire escape and from which issuspended preferably by means of flexible cables 2, a seat board 3. Theouter ends of the holding bar l are preferably shaped to form handles orgrips 4, which are adapted to be grasped by the person sitting on theseat 3.

Secured at one end to the holding bar 1 preferably near the lefthand endof the bar is a descending cable 5. The cable 5 passes around a guidepulley 6 secured to a supporting bar 7, which is secured to the side ofthe building or to the window frame in any suitable manner, said barbeing preferably hinged or pivotally connected to the inner or outerside of the window frame, whereby the bar may be readily swung inwardlyor outwardly to operative and inoperative position. The descending cable5 after passing through the pulley 6 extends downwardly through a guidepassage 8 in the holding bar and through a similar passage 9 in theseat. The cable after passing through the passage 9 in the seat extendsdownwardly and forms a loop and then upwardly and has its end connectedto the under side of the seat in any suitable manner. The cable 5 is ofsufficient length to reach from the window or exit from the building tothe ground and back up to the window.

Pivotally connected to the under side of the holding bar 1 in anysuitable manner and near the cable passage 8 therein is a brake orcontrolling lever l0. In the edge of the lever 10 adjacent to the cable5 is formed a V-shaped notch 11. The outer end of the lever l0 extendsto the end of the holding bar 1 and when the lever is in operativeposition said end is adapted to be grasped or gripped with the handleend of the holding bar. Vhen the lever is thus gripped the notchedportion of the same may he forced with greater or less pressure intoengageineut with the cable 5 at the point where the same leaves thepassage S in the holding bar thus controlling the speed at which thecable passes through the bar and thus regulating the descent of the barand seat.

While the fire escape is herein shown and described as being' providedwith a seat 3 connected with the holding bar l, it is obvious that theseat may be dispensed with and a person descending may support himselfby grasping the ends of the holding bar and hanging therefrom From theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the piinciple orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a fire escape of the character dcscribed, a holding bar, handlesformed 011 the outer end of said bar, a seat supporting cable connectedwith said bar, a seat secured to the lower end of said cable, asupporting bar hingedly connected to a suitable support whereby said baris swung into and out of inoperative position, a guide pulley secured tosaid bar, a descending cable connected at one end to said holding barand adapted to be passed through said pulley and through said holdingbar and seat, said cable extending downwardly to the ground and back upto said seat to which the end of the cable is secured, a controllinglever pivotally connected to said holding bar,said lever having formedtherein a notch adapted to be engaged with the cable whereby a brakingaction is imparted thereto, thus controlling the descent of the escapeon said cable.

2. In a fire escape of the character described, a holding bar, a seatbar supported from and beneath the holding bar, a supporting pulley, adescending cable passing over said pulley and attached at opposite endsto the holding bar and seat bar, respectively, and a controlling leverpivoted to the holding bar and adapted to be brought into frictional.engagement with the rope,

whereby the speed of descension may be controlled by the operator.

3. In a re escape of the class described, a holding bar, a seat barsupported from and beneath the holding bar, a supporting pulley mountednear the escape exit of the uilding, a descending cable passing oversaid pulley and attached at opposite ends to the holding bar and seatbar, respectively, and a controlling lever pivoted to the holding barand having a cutaway portion adapted to engage the descending cable,whereby the speed of descension may be controlled by the operator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES B. MCKINNEY. litnesses CHARLES C. VINK, HIRAM F. BOWMAN.

